Ensuring Postpartum Success: The Golden Weeks and Beyond
The postpartum season can be hard, friend. Not only are you healing from pregnancy, labor, and childbirth, you are also learning how to care for your new baby. On top of all that, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re doing this without much sleep. The fourth trimester can be more difficult than most parents expect it to be. The physical and emotional challenges can come as a surprise to many first-time parents and, because new parents are often not expecting these challenges, they don’t plan for enough recovery time.
Expecting to jump right back into your normal routines and resume life as it was before baby puts you at greater risk for postpartum complications such as mastitis, urinary tract infections, and postpartum anxiety or depression. So… how can you ensure success in your postpartum time?
First, before you enter your guess month, come up with a Postpartum Plan. Who is going to walk the dog while you’re laying low with your sweet new baby? What if you end up having a c-section? Can a relative or a neighbor entertain your older kiddo(s) for a few hours a day so that you and your partner can bond with your newborn? Will someone come help you with chores around the house after your partner goes back to work? Who will bring food to you once the excitement of your new arrival dissipates after the first few weeks? Are you going to encapsulate your placenta to support your physical and emotional healing? Figuring all this out before baby’s arrival will take loads off your plate and guarantee an easier postpartum time.
Then, once baby is born, honor the Golden Weeks. In the birth world, we talk a lot about the “5-5-5 Rule” and we are big fans of this concept. Many cultures dedicate far more time to postpartum healing but two weeks seems to be about all we are willing to give ourselves in the US.
What’s the “5-5-5 Rule”? It suggests that you spend the first five days in bed: get up only to use the toilet and maybe grab a shower. Spend the next five days on your bed: spend most of your time napping or resting with your sweet babe, but feel free to move with baby to the couch or a comfy chair outside once or twice during the day. Remember, you’ll be awake several times throughout the night and your body is still in recovery mode so this much rest truly is essential. If you find yourself starting to get stir-crazy, invite a friend over to keep you company rather than push yourself to do too much by leaving the house. Then, spend another five days near your bed: continue skin-to-skin and plenty of snuggle and breastfeeding time with your newborn but feel free to move about more. Consider going for a short walk, doing a mellow craft project, or even folding some laundry while you sit on the couch. Leave the rest of the chores to your family and friends (as outlined in your Postpartum Plan!).
How do you know if you’re overdoing it? Listen to your body. If you feel tired, make sure that you nap. If you notice that your lochia discharge is getting heavier instead of tapering off, that is a strong indication that you are overdoing it. Spending more time on or even in bed again will help.
Finally, consider the resources you may need in your postpartum time. What if your baby has a tongue tie? Who will you want to visit for a revision? Which pelvic floor therapist are you going to see? It is now recommended that ALL birthing people schedule an appointment with a pelvic floor therapist six weeks after delivery. What about mental health support? It’s normal to feel ups and downs after baby’s birth, but how down is too down? And breastfeeding! Are you doing it right? Is baby eating enough? It’s so hard to know! Our lactation professionals can work with you to come up with a plan to make breastfeeding attainable and sustainable. Not only can Gather Birth Cooperative can help you find the resources you need before and during birth, but we also help in your postpartum time. We feel fortunate that our birth community in the Twin Cities is full of amazing resources and we’d love to help you find a good fit for your needs in Minneapolis, St. Paul, or beyond!
We also love the idea of celebrating this momentous time in your life with Real Postpartum photography. Honor your body and your relationship with the new little human in your life with an intimate and raw portrait session.
Pro Tip: There’s a pretty good chance that you received The Fourth Trimester and/or The First Forty Days at your baby shower but we would love to loan them to you from Gather Birth Cooperative’s lending library if you don’t already have them. These books are amazing sources of support, recipes, and new ideas for postpartum healing. <3